The Wind

Poe

Understanding emerging biomarkers and lifestyle factors in aging and Alzheimer disease

Age-related cognitive decline and pathological brain changes are a widespread and growing public health issue. Several environmental factors, including engagement in physical activity and personality, have been shown to have potential protective effects in slowing cognitive decline and preserving healthy brain aging. However, the underlying mechanisms providing exercise- or personality-induced resilience to aging and disease remains largely unknown. Importantly, there has been an emergence of several novel biomarkers to study healthy brain aging and age-related neurodegenerative diseases including in vivo assessments of tau burden and brain metabolism via positron emission tomography (PET) imaging and neurofilament light chain (NfL), a marker of neurodegeneration, via Age-related cognitive decline and pathological brain changes are a widespread and growing public health issue. Several environmental factors, including engagement in physical activity and personality, have been shown to have potential protective effects in slowing cognitive decline and preserving healthy brain aging. However, the underlying mechanisms providing exercise- or personality-induced resilience to aging and disease remains largely unknown. Importantly, there has been an emergence of several novel biomarkers to study healthy brain aging and age-related neurodegenerative diseases including in vivo assessments of tau burden and brain metabolism via positron emission tomography (PET) imaging and neurofilament light chain (NfL), a marker of neurodegeneration, via blood-based biomarkers. During the first part of my thesis research, I examined these emerging biomarkers within healthy aging and AD cohorts at Washington University, in the Australian Imaging, Biomarkers, and Lifestyle (AIBL) cohort, and in the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network (DIAN) observational study (Chapters 2 Р5). For the second part of my thesis research, I first used my new knowledge and experience with these biomarkers to characterize and determine the influence of physical activity on cerebral glucose metabolism (Chapter 6). Next, to better translate these findings to an exercise intervention in the future, I further completed a pilot study to determine feasibility and validity of performing a submaximal exercise protocol in a diverse US population (Chapter 7). For the third part of my thesis research, I discovered a cross-sectional association between personality traits and neurofibrillary tangle pathology. Taken together, the results from my thesis suggest utility in all three emerging biomarkers examined (tau-PET, blood-based NfL, and multi-tracer brain metabolism PET) for monitoring and understanding complex changes associated with brain aging and disease. Additionally, this thesis research adds to the current understanding of the potential role of increased physical activity in preservation of glycolytic metabolism in the aging brain and increased risk of AD-related tau pathophysiology in neurotic personality traits. Further research extending these findings to longitudinal studies are needed to help determine directionality of the observed effects

Using GLM Flash Density, Flash Area, and Flash Energy to Diagnose Tropical Cyclone Structure and Intensification

Increased lightning in tropical cyclones (TCs) is typically associated with intensification, but significant lightning outbreaks are also observed in weakening storms. The total number of lightning flashes in a TC is not always a reliable indicator of TC intensity evolution. Issues with the range and detection efficiency of ground-based networks, particularly for intracloud lightning. Physical processes such as vertical wind shear can intensify asymmetric convection while also weakening the TC. The commissioning of the Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) aboard GOES-16 and GOES-17 marked, for the first time, the presence of an operational lightning detector in geostationary orbit. In addition to flash density (the number of flashes per unit area per unit time), GLM also provides continuous observations of flash area and total optical energy

Use of an online system for student responses in first year chemistry

Although the benefits of clickers for monitoring student understanding during lectures are well-established (Gebru, Phelps, & Wulfsberg, 2012; Lin, Liu, & Chu, 2011; MacArthur & Jones, 2008; Patry, 2009; Smith, Wood, Krauter, & Knight, 2011), their cost makes them inaccessible in many Faculties. Recently, several websites have been launched that offer academics the ability to monitor student understanding in a similar way, using any mobile internet enabled device (phone, tablet, laptop computer). We have trialed the use of one such system with first semester chemistry students and the results are reported here. There were some technical difficulties to be overcome and the importance of these should not be understated; in a time-limited setting with a very large class, a system needs to run flawlessly in every session. Student feedback was largely positive in other respects, although a few felt that the use of expensive devices that not every student has access to, was inequitable. The trial was undertaken as an action learning project within the SaMnet framework (http://www.samnet.edu.au) and aimed to promote the use of student response systems among other academic staff. To this end, staff were invited to attend lectures, participate in the student response questions and provide feedback on the system. This feedback also indicated that technical ease of use and stability are critical factors to encourage uptake of the system. This and other aspects of adoption have been investigated in the United States (Emenike & Holme, 2012). In this poster, we propose mechanisms to improve uptake and to minimise inequity of access. REFRENCES Emenike, M. E., & Holme, T. A. (2012). Classroom response systems have not “crossed the chasm”: Estimating numbers of chemistry faculty who use clickers. Journal of Chemical Education, 89, 465-469. Gebru, M. T., Phelps, A. J., & Wulfsberg, G. (2012). Effect of clickers versus online homework on students’ long-term retention of general chemistry course material. Chemistry Education Research and Practice, online doi: 10.1039/c2rp20033c Lin, Y.-C., Liu, T.-C., & Chu, C.-C. (2011). Implementing clickers to assist learning in science lectures: The Clicker-Assisted Conceptual Change model. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 27, 979-996. MacArthur, J. R., & Jones, L. L. (2008). A review of literature reports of clickers applicable to college chemistry classrooms. Chemistry Education Research and Practice, 9, 187-195. Patry, M. (2009). Clickers in large classes: From student perceptions towards an understanding of best practices. International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 3. Smith, M. K., Wood, W. B., Krauter, K., & Knight, J. K. (2011). Combining peer discussion with instructor explanation increases student learning from in-class concept questions. CBE - Life Sciences Education, 10, 55-63

The Notion and Assessment of “Predatory” in Scholarly Publishing

We set out to create an openly accessible, transparent evaluation tool that engages with the nuance of publishing circumstances and creates a clear record of the assessment. Without redefining or seeking to categorize journals, we hope to provide information in a format that allows authors to make considered choices and librarians to record the efforts of labor they likely already engage in. Working with the inherent humor of meta-analysis, we created Reviews: The Journal of Journal Reviews (RJJR). RJJR will publish nuanced, context-centered reviews of scholarly journals based on available, observable evidence. The “Journal Reviews”—peer-reviewed evaluations of journals across disciplines, subscription models, and regions—will offer researchers an alternative tool for evaluating unfamiliar publications while also modeling contextual evaluation. We are dedicated to the process of journal evaluation as an educational tool as well as a resource for the community

Locomotor Training in the Pediatric Spinal Cord Injury Population: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Purpose: The aim of this review was to investigate the effects of locomotor training on pediatric SCI and develop recommendations for pediatric LT guidelines.https://jdc.jefferson.edu/dptcapstones/1002/thumbnail.jp